Do you feel old ?

My twin brother's Alex & Taylor are in there senior year.  Yes, that is right not only are they seniors but they are 18 years old.  Those of you who have known me for a long time that a lone can make you feel old.  So, I have been on a mission to collect items that they will need for college.  You know those things that you needed but didn't remember until after you had done the shopping with your parents.  And, since there is two of them this could be quite expensive but spread out over there last school year and with sales not so bad.  I made a list of items, trying to think of what is need for college.  Let me know if I am forgetting anything.


This was the first 2 items I thought of but according to the boys this is now a combo unit that is provided by the school.  Seriously....Oh and did you know that now you will recieve an email telling you that your laundry is finished, you don't have to wait for it.  Oh, and that almost every school A & T looked at have computer labs in there dorms.  Seriously?!?  I remember if you wanted to go to the lab you had to truck across campus rain or snow.  I can't wait to visit them in college....I hope they know I expect a weekend of fun and a football game, how fun!

the growing list

Let me know what I am forgetting.  It is weird think about this from a boy's point of view.  I thought what color should the towels be, white so they can bleach them or may navy blue or gray so they don't get mixed up with someone elses?  Guys have a toiletry bag for the shower?  Will they wear sandles in the shower? they should, yuck!  The only think I did remember were my friends that would not do laundry until they ran out of socks or underwear, some of actual went and bought underwear to avoid doing the laundry...oh the good old days of Trinity.  All thoughts are more then welcomed.

Driving with Daddy

Gracie had the privilage of sitting on Daddy's lap while he pulled the car into the garage.  Before he got moving she made herself very conforatble, watch the stream of events below....

a short moment of sitting with daddy

while I ran off for the camera Troy said the first thing she did
was push the button for the radio to come on....seriously
she is not even 13 yet.....so funny

so excited, so excited

Troy in shock that she is talking to imaginary people out the
window Is she coping me?  I hope she picked this up from Troy.

Gracie spotted an animal

putting the car into gear

pulling the car in

Terrific Play Dough

I found this recipe that I have had for years but never made.  I have no idea where it came from but either way I decided to try it.  With a little help from Gracie, we made play dough.  I was by myself stirring and Gracie being near a hot stove made me a little worried she did a great job assisting me and listening to me very well.

just starting

making purple

stirring

done

daddy was welcomed home during batch #2

a great picture of me and my little helper

fun colors

Even if Gracie stuck some of this in her mouth, first it would not hurt her in the least and second it would be so salty I am sure she would willingly spit it out on her own.

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup flour

2 Tbsp oil

1/2 cup salt

1 tsp food color

2 tsp cream of tarter

Alternate dry and liquid ingredients in medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it forms a ball.  Remove and knead.  Store in a Tupperware bowl for weeks!  It is also easy to clean up because of the oil in it. 

just a side: I went in the order of which it is above

Books, Books, and More Books

One of me fall favorites, is the library book sale.  The first of each month the library has a book sale.  This month the month of October it is a book bag sale.  The first bag of books is $4 dollars and the second bag $3.  See my great collect below.

Yeap, 29 books for $4.

This bag is full of books for my grandma, not exactly the kind of books I read so I pushed them into the closet until my next trip to Cincinnati.  This bag holds 83 books, yes I said 83 books, I could not believe it either.  What a bargain!  My grandma buys these books all the time.  They are about $4 to $5 dollars each and I got 83 of them for $3.  What a seriously awesome bargain! Sorry but I am still shocked!

Puggles

Although Gracie is not officially 2 she is close enough to start Awana's this year.  She is in the youngest group called Puggles.  I know a puggle is a dog but when it comes to Awana's I think it is a platypus.  I was not sure how she would do but of course she loved it.  There is playtime, singing time, story time and of coarse craft time.  She loves it.  On our drive home we sing songs.  I think we have made sure that grandparents have gotten a chance to enjoy the singing.  It has been a lot of fun.  

Gracie's First Night going to Puggles

see

More Tea Please

So there is nothing elegant about this tea party but it was the first tea party for 3 that we have had, and we had it on our front porch.  Gracie, served Daddy and Mommy tea.  Although she is not true to the ways of serving English tea she did a pretty good job for a toddler.  I am sure the Queen of England would not be pleased but at least she is practicing.  I can teach her much more as she gets older, since I love my tea.  I will even make sure to teach her how to poke out her little pinkie finger.  Maybe even invest in a hat for a real tea time party:) We will have to see how much she loves it.  She does have a real tea set from her auntie from China and one that was her mom's when she was growing up so she will have lots to practice with.

where should Troy put his big legs : )

I don't think this is correct : )

 

Gracie is not please with the way daddy pours

what fun

Gracie got bored with tea time and went to checkout the neighbors

say cheese

Nana....

My mom was up visiting us in September and when she left she forgot her pillow.  Some may not think this is a big deal but I understand that having "your" pillow just helps you sleep better.  No cramped neck when you wake up from one that does not fit right.  Anyway, we will be sending your pillow but first we just wanted to tease you a little first.

Nana I love your pillow can I keep it?  Are you sure?

PBJ

I love peanut butter, is an under statment.  So when Gracie turned one I was very excited to share a peanut butter sandwich with her.  So you would understand how disappointed I was when the doctor told me that the age had been pushed back to age 2 for peanut butter.  It seems that in the last couple of weeks Gracie has had some close calls with peanut nuts/peanutbutter.  Although I am 99.9% sure that Gracie is not alergic to peanut butter, I wanted her first PB experoience to be with me, at home, with her dad, where if something did happen I could take her to the hospital.   Anyway, I have been wanting to give her, her first PBJ so I decided to do it early. She of course loved it, just like we thought she would. Yum, yum!  Saturday lunches just got that much more fun.

PBJ

PBJ meet Gracie

Gracie meet PBJ

what a poser

yum yum!

One night a long time ago I had eatten a spoonfull of PB.  I then picked up baby Gracie.  She tried to kiss me, she seemed to really like the smell.  Troy decided he would try and see if she did the same thing to him, she did.  She loved the smell of peanut butter.  So we video taped it because we thought it was so funny. 

Peanutbutter from Candace Schenk on Vimeo.

For you entertainment!

When Daddy is Away....

Mommy & Grace Will Play

This past weekend Troy left a day earlier then the team to get some recrutting done so Grace and I had a lot of time to ourselves.  Let me refrase that we had a lot of time together with lots of other people.  Friday night we had a girls night out at Olive Garden and Grace came along.  I think she loved dinner with just the ladies and of course she loved the food.  She hammed up all the attention that was given.  The dinner lasted long enough that we played hookie from bible study and headed home for bed. 

Saturday, Grace played at Christina's while I had a photo shoot.  We then headed from there to May's Farm with our Awana friends where we cooked hotdogs over a fire, and then went for a very interesting hay ride with comentary.  We got to pick out our own pumpkins and walk thru the maze.  It was a blast and we had beautiful weather to go with it.  We headed home where Grace got a half hour to 45 minute nap.  We played, changed, pack & loaded up the car for the next even of the day.  A double surprise party.  It was a fun noght but by the end Grace was wound up, she was on her last stretch of energy, giggly and silly.  We head home for head but first a bath nothing better then carmel in the hair, yuck. 

Sunday we recovered with Troy back and had lunch with friends and sat around chatting while the kids napped.  It was an eventful weekend.  I normally try not to pack them that full but it was a great weekend.

 Gracie cooling off

not very modest;)

 she loves animals

 the hay ride with miss sassy

 picking a pumpkin

 Gracie's new cheese face

 my country girl

 mommy time

 so thirsty

 fresh

 I turned around and Gracie was eating this tomato like an apple

 yum

Happy Fall!

Bed Time

In our house bedtime goes something like this, our nightly ritual of brushing our teeth, putting on PJ's, read a story, pray and then one of us rock's Gracie threw two songs.  This is one of my favorite times where I am able to hold my Gracie, snuggle with her and just love on her.  Such a sweet girl.

my baby girl at 3 months in her rocking chair

at 23 months I found her rocking in her chair looking at a book

oh also with her baby